Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about how the Authority issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) because the Authority cancelled the PCN and an investigation is unlikely to achieve any additional outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Authority issued her a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) incorrectly.
2. Ms X said the matter caused her frustration and distress.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Authority.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. We will not invsetigate this complaint. During the Ombudsman’s assessment of the complaint the Authority cancelled the PCN. Consequently, an investigation would not lead to a different outcome, and any remaining injustice is not significant enough to warrant our involvement. Therefore, we will not investigate.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because an investigation is unlikely to achieve any additional outcome and any remaining injustice is not significant enough.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman